Dermatology is important for anyone who loves to keep their skin in pristine condition. Hence, choosing the right dermatologist is an important decision you must take. This decision is not always easy as there are many factors to consider. Hence, we have written this article to guide you as you make your choice.
Below are some tips that will help you choose the right dermatologist:
1. Determine What Your Needs Are
There are different reasons why you might need the services of a dermatologist. It could be a medical, cosmetic, or surgical need. As a result, the procedure for addressing each need is unique.
Medical needs could involve the treatment of rosacea or acne. Visit this page to find out the types of acne and how they can be treated. Surgical needs could involve the removal of nodular melanoma or benign growth, while cosmetic needs could be as simple as facial sculpting.
Some procedures could even be a combination of two or all these needs. A good example is the removal of an eye bag. This procedure is both surgical and cosmetic.
Apart from the uniqueness of each need, not every dermatologist handles all the skincare needs. This is not due to incompetence or inexperience but due to the diversity of the field. Hence, you need to look for a dermatologist that operates in the area of your need.
A simple way to find out about this is to call the office of the doctor and enquire if they deal with the area of your concern. If the physician deals with such areas, you can make further inquiries. If they do not, look elsewhere.
2. Ensure that the Dermatologist is experienced at Treating People of Color (If Appropriate)
This tip is important for folks of colour and for good reason. Apart from the needs we mentioned above, your skin colour is a need you should consider when going for any dermatological procedure.
It has been observed that it is very easy for pigment to form on coloured skin than white skin. Hence, if the doctor treating you is not experienced at treating coloured-skin folks, they might end up leaving some unpleasant spots on the skin of the patient.
Therefore, if you have such skin, confirm if the dermatologist has such experience which will enable them to deal with any underlying conditions. To further ensure that you get one who has the necessary knowledge, choose a dermatologist with published trustworthy work on this topic.
Darker skin tones have a reaction that is quite different, and the risk of keloids or excessive scarring is higher. This risk is multiplied when the procedure is not done by an experienced professional.
3. Figure out Your Payment Method
Will you be paying for the fees via your health insurance or with your money? Usually, the answer to this question is dependent on the reason you seek a dermatologist.
If you want the insurance to cover the fees, the medical professional you choose will be on that is on contract with your insurance provider. They are called in-network professionals. To find out such professionals that are in-network, you can check the website of your insurance provider. Another way you can find out is to call the doctor’s office and enquire if they are.
Once you are sure they are in-network, the next thing to do is to confirm if the insurance covers your dermatological needs. In most cases, only medical and surgical needs are covered; cosmetic is usually not.
After this, you need to confirm from your provider what dermatological procedures are covered in your plan.
If you do not have insurance and will make payments with your money, ensure that you find out the approximate costs of the procedure and what payment plans are available.
4. Confirm the Credentials of the Dermatologist
The credentials and certifications of the medical professional tell you that they are qualified and trained to carry out the treatment. Hence, you must find out these credentials. You can visit dermatologist.london to learn about what credentials a dermatologist should have.
In most cases, the websites of the professional will have their credentials and certifications. However, you should check online for the credentials that local dermatologists around you should have.
You should also consult with nurse practitioners and physician assistants who work in the offices of dermatologists. They can also provide the right care that you need. Consulting with them can even get you faster appointments.
5. Read Online Reviews
From the credentials of the physician, you should know that they are qualified medically. However, being qualified is not enough; there are other factors you should consider such as:
- Hidden fees
- Unwelcoming office
- Sales-driven nature
- Unsatisfactory results
- Unfriendly bedside manner
These factors naturally will not be divulged by the physician; hence, you need to read online reviews. Check Google, Yelp, Facebook, etc. for reviews about the medical professional.
If you find so many negative reviews, then it is a sign that such issues are common with such a physician.
6. After the First Appointment, Appraise the Dermatologist
After going through all the tips above, you can then book an appointment. This appointment is to give you a chance to decide if the relationship will be established. Hence, you should discuss your needs as expressively as you can.
Apart from telling the doctor your needs and concerns, you should also ask questions. Listen to what they say and ask for further clarification if you don’t understand what they said.
After the appointment, appraise the dermatologist by asking yourself the following questions:
- Did you have a feeling that your needs were indeed heard?
- Did the physician encourage you to readily reveal what you might have in mind and did you reveal them?
- Were you examined thoroughly by the dermatologist?
- Were you given the chance to ask all your questions and were the answers given understood?
- What treatment options were you given, and were the risks as well as the success of each option fully explained?
- If it was necessary, did you get to schedule the next appointment?
Conclusion
The tips above should help you choose a private dermatologist. However, if after going through the above, you feel a dermatologist isn’t looking like the right option for your needs, then you don’t have to give up.
Instead of a dermatologist, you could enlist the services of an aesthetician. The latter usually work at spas and salons and provide a more detailed and personalized skincare treatment that many physicians may not have time for.
Whatever decision you take, ensure that you do what is best just for you.